Lack of Essential Equipment: NMC Halts Admission to MD Radiation Oncology course at GMCH Nagpur

Nagpur: In a major setback to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur, the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has halted admissions to MD seats in Radiation Oncology at the institute for the academic year 2024-2025.

According to a recent report by The Hitavada, the Apex Medical Commission stopped admissions after highlighting that the Department of Radiotherapy in the institute does not have adequate essential equipment. Due to this, the medical college will not be able to admit students to the MD Radiation Oncology course for the academic year 2024-2025. The seats will be restored based on the assessment of the medical college/institute, as per the maintenance of Standards of Medical Education Regulations, 2023.

However, the decision by the Commission to stop admissions would not affect the students admitted by the medical college till the academic year 2023-2024. The PG degrees awarded to such students will be considered as recognised for the purpose of registration of the degrees awarded by the University.

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The Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court back in 2017 had directed the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI), now National Medical Commission (NMC) not to stop the admissions to the PG Radiotherapy course till the proposed Cancer Hospital or Institute comes up in the college premises.

While considering a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Dr. Krishna Kamble, the HC bench had clarified that the PG course offered in Radiotherapy was rare in Maharashtra in a Government set-up. Back then, the State Government had proposed setting ip Cancer Hospital/Institute in the college premises.

Considering this aspect, back then, the Division bench of the HC had directed the MCI, now NMC to continue the recognition of PG course in Radiotherapy or Radiation Oncology by carrying out inspections from time to time as per the law, till a Cancer Hospital/Institute got set up in the college.

However, halting the admissions to the course, NMC stated, The Board got the assessment of GMCH done for verification of infrastructure, clinical material, faculty for all-round training of students, as per curricular requirement," as quoted by The Hitavada. It further mentioned that the Board "found deficiencies, such as inadequate OPD workload in the department, procurement of Linear Accelerator under process at Government-level, and Brachytherapy machine not functioning."

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